Animal organization protests Lions Den

By Danielle Skinner and Heather Itzen

WACO - A local non-profit animal organization plans to protest the Waco Lions Club for banning stray cats from their park. Lions Club Board Members claim the cats are a threat to children who play in the area, but the non-profit says the cats are harmless.

According to the Heart of Texas Feral Friends (HOTFF), a group of nine cats have been calling the Lions Park home for the last five years. HOTFF is a non-profit that traps, neuters, and returns cats to the wild. They also feed them.

"Five years ago Lions Den granted our volunteers access to the Lions Park to go in and do trap-neuter-returns on the cats that were overcrowding their park," said Amy Oakley.

The cats have a left signature clipped ear to let Animal Control and other care-givers know they're spayed or neutered and vaccinated.

The Lions Club is planning on posting "No Trespassing" signs to keep volunteers from feeding the stray cats. They feel the food left out for the cats could attract bigger animals that could bite children playing at the park.

"If critters are coming to that park it's because of that concession stand and the food that their patrons are dropping," said Oakley.

The Lions Club has given HOTFF notice to remove the feeding station. But the organization says that won't stop the cats from sticking around the park.

"When we remove those feeding stations those cats are still going to be there and they are not going to have anything to eat," said Oakley.

HOTFF plans to protest at Lions Park in Waco on Saturday, January 14, at 2 p.m. and by boycotting local businesses associated with the Lions Den.

They've also started an online petition. The organization is hoping 1,000 signatures will help save the cats.

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